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Public Speaking Games

If you're looking for fun-filled speech activities for your class check these out.

There are 7 public speaking games here. You'll find they're very adaptable to suit children of all ages; that is from around middle school to adulthood.

Use them in your
class room, with the members of your speech club, or as an extension
activity for a life skills or communications program. They'll help by-pass the fear factor, develop and nurture competent, confident public speaking skills, and do it with a large dollop of fun!

*If you're not sure about how to introduce these games to your class or group, scroll down to the foot of the page. You'll find 'how to begin' guidelines there.

1. Connect the Dots

Prepare a collection of word cards each with a familiar noun on it. You'll need at least 100.

A player picks two cards and then must tell a story connecting both words together convincingly. The story needn't be long, complicated or true.

Once your class is comfortable with connecting two words, add to your word collection and increase the number of cards selected to three or even four.

2. The History of ...

Prepare a starter list of events or things.

For example: a postage stamp, birthday cake, books, a zebra's stripes, a chimney, the tooth fairy, common sayings like 'a penny for your thoughts', 'a red rag to a bull', 'a pinch and a punch for the first of the month',April Fools Day, a wheel, a Christmas tree, ice cream, a ladder, Father Christmas, May Day, a siren, shaking hands on meeting someone ...

Each speaker is to give an account of the history (story) behind the thing or event. It needn't be factual! The goal of this public speaking game is credible fluency.

3. End lines

Prepare a list of endings.

For example: 'Just do it', 'Diamonds are forever', 'He's fallen in the water', 'Some like it hot', 'His bark is worse than his bite', 'Love makes the world go round', 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away', 'First up, best dressed', 'King for a day', 'Funny money', 'Laughter is the best medicine'...

Each speaker is to tell a story ending with the line they've been given.

4. Story Starters

Prepare a list of opening sentences or phrases.

For example: 'It was a dark and stormy night', 'I wish people would not say ...', 'Yesterday I saw a herd of cows ', 'My favorite activity is bird watching', 'The wisest saying I ever heard was ...', 'In 20 years time I will be ...', 'It made me yell', 'All I want for Christmas is ...', 'Something is terribly wrong ...', 'The little voice inside my head ...', 'This is the secret I've never shared before', 'I never knew what happened ...', 'Sometimes I just want to ...', 'You know it's Summer when ...', 'Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you', 'The story made me want to ...','I heard the best news this morning', 'The sound of people laughing ...'

Each speaker begins with their opener, building a story and extending it however they wish.

5. Oink Substitution

In this game choose a commonly used word to substitute with 'oink'.

For example: If the chosen word is I, the speaker says oink instead.

Note: Oink is best played as an extension of already known public speaking games for instance, Story Starters or End Lines.

Once your group is confident, add the 'oink' factor for even more fun! You'll find substitution hones thinking-while-you're-speaking skills really well.

6. The BIG Fat Lie

This game fosters imagination, fluency and fun. In playing it your group will learn about body language too! How do you know when somebody is lying? How can you tell?

Each speaker is to share 3 things about themselves on a theme you set.

Examples of theme: holidays, the future, my favorite after school activities, when I was young, my beliefs, the best books I've read, the best adventures I've had ..., my family ...

Two of the things they say about themselves are to be true. The third is not.

When they've finished speaking, ask the class to identify the lie.

PS. This makes a great icebreaker for groups getting together for the first time.

7. In the News Today

In the last activity making up of this collection of 7 public speaking games, your class are broadcasters, anchor people for a news show.

The news is whatever has happened during the day. It could be an event on the way to school like a traffic jam. It might be a new menu in the canteen or lunch room. It could be an announcement the principal made.

It doesn't matter how trivial the happening; encourage the big news treatment for anything at all, even a new set of pencils!

The aim of the exercise is give whatever subject they choose the standard news format. They'll need to cover who, what, where, why, when and how.

Swap tears for laughter

A complete one stop resource for teachers to scuttle public speaking fear in the best of all possible ways - with laughter!

What teachers say:
- "Thank you so much for making my class fun, and not scary!"
- "My students are 8th graders - a tough crowd to engage but these games are working very well."
- "Your materials provide great structure and content examples."Who are these people saying lovely things? Click to see.Make your speech class fun too.

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